Power’s Courtney Kemp Explains Killing Raina’s Character: It’s a hard thing to tell the actor, who is a kid.
Courtney Kemp Explains Killing Raina’s Character On “Power”
If you’re like us, then you were shocked at who was killed on the most recent episode of Power. Tariq’s (Michael Rainey Jr.) rebellion into street life has ultimately resulted in the death of his twin sister Raina (Donshea Hopkins). The show’s executive producer Courtney A. Kemp explains exactly what went into the decision to kill her off, saying:
It had a lot to do with the inevitable, which was that Tariq was getting more and more over his head in dealing with a world he doesn’t understand. What are the natural consequence of messing with gangsters? You get hurt. And in this case, Tariq has also been raised in a family where lying is how it goes — this is what they do. What we also liked is this idea that Tariq has told his sister that he doesn’t want anyone to know, so she finds out and wants to tell mom, and he begs her, “Please, don’t tell anyone.” Well, she listens to him and it costs her her life. And I think that is a really kind of beautiful way to tell that story. She loves her brother, her brother loves her, but at the end of the day, Tariq is possessed with the need to individuate from his parents and it blows up in his face. Unfortunately, she’s the one who gets hurt.
Kemp says that instead of having the character die based on her father Ghost’s actions, they felt it more appropriate that her death be connected to her brother’s actions.
We wanted it to be about, the sins of the father that are visited upon the son and the daughter are really his neglect as a parent. Ghost’s self-involvement and his eye being elsewhere made him vulnerable to arrest and incarceration, and distracted from the family. And while all that was happening, Tariq was getting further and further into a life of crime. We wanted this story to really be about Tariq and, as a result, it’s about his rebellion against his father. So it’s about Ghost in one way, but in a lot of other ways it’s actually really about, “Are criminals born or are they made?” Nature versus nurture. We always said that Raina is a truly good character and, you know on Power, if you’re a good guy, you die. Whether you’re Shawn (Sinqua Walls), Greg (Andy Bean), Julio (J.R. Ramirez), if you’re a good guy, you’re probably going to get it on our show.
When asked if there was a debate about killing Raina, she adds:
I feel like you want me to say this was a very difficult decision, but it really wasn’t. It’s a hard thing to tell the actor, who is a kid. That’s really hard. But the decision to kill off the character isn’t hard because it’s the right decision… it’s the thing that would happen. Ghost is constantly fighting this idea that he’s a criminal, but he is. And it was the logical next progression in Tariq’s story; something he couldn’t change or take back would happen. Our show is not about power, it’s really about powerlessness. The idea that you don’t have power over what’s happening next no matter how much you think you do. So we wanted something that at this stage of the series would change everyone’s life forever.
The Power season finale airs Sept. 3 at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.
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Thank you for posting this story. I love how she breaks the episodes down. I didn’t see one after this episode. They should definitely be nominated for awards this year.
Bullshit. You fucked up. Should have just killed Tariq. Ghost was so proud of Tariq, his “son”. Losing his only son would have hurt Ghost much more then losing his daughter. If you truly understand black culture, you should know that.
So not understanding black culture caused the writers to kill off the female character instead of the male? THIS is television! Fiction…..right?
Wow! So you’re saying it will hurt a father more if he lose a son over a daughter in the black culture? So you’re saying black fathers love their sons more than their daughters? Hmmm! Anyway, this is a fictional show and I think the writers made the right decision. It was something that we the audience did not see coming. We kind of knew Dre would kill Julio but, not this. Hopefully in the black culture fathers will love their sons and daughters equally. Just my opinion, not saying the way you feel is wrong.
I’m get my two cents in as a black woman who has a black father the thing about killing off Rayna is with black dads is they see their daughters as pure and angelic see if you see how he is with Tarik he’s more of you know a man needs to do this a man need to do that. You’re the man of the house you need to know how to protect and provide for your family you know he’s a little more Stern where with the little girl and Reyna he’s more of coddling he’s not as strict on them he treat them like little angels because that’s where black fathers see their black daughters as little angels basically very angelic. So of course he would get mad because they take away the only thing that he sees as pure and angelic
I’m get my two cents in as a black woman who has a black father the thing about killing off Rayna is with black dads is they see their daughters as pure and angelic see if you see how he is with Tarik he’s more of you know a man needs to do this a man need to do that. You’re the man of the house you need to know how to protect and provide for your family you know he’s a little more Stern where with the little girl and Reyna he’s more of coddling he’s not as strict on them he treat them like little angels because that’s where black fathers see their black daughters as little angels basically very angelic. So of course he would get mad because they take away the only thing that he sees as pure and angelic. See the bond between a father and daughter is different than a son.
I think you have cultures confused. Considering how many black men are not in the home raising their sons or daughters.
?? losing one child over another… wow
My question is what happened to the baby
Baby Yazmine is more like a prop, she is only relevant to the show when she needs to be seen. I always say she is with Tasha’s mom because in previous seasons she helped care for the kids alot.
I understand where she’s coming from on this,people get into bad thing and don’t realize how much trouble they getting into sometimes they are the one who gets hurt but it mainly it ends up being the ones they love.And Tariq not bout that life he stepping into something real dangerous.This episode speaks volumes.I can kinda relate to Tariq’s character with my own son.
I got to agree with Courtney on killing Raina’s character. While Ghost is fighting with his thug esteem, and Tasha hoein it down, Tariq is sort of following in his Dad’s footsteps when it comes to doing some type of crime. Even though she loved her brother, trying to protect him ended her life. Someone had to go, and it turned out to be Raina, and she was actually becoming a lil more feisty with her character at the end.
Didn’t see this one coming
What happened to the baby they had when Power first came on? I forgot they even had kids outside of Tariq, so her dying wasn’t moving or emotional.
This episode had me very emotional, and confused. I understand how they made their decision to kill Raina off Power. Ghost did a lot of wrong and Tasha had to play both roles as a parent. Now that Ghost is trying to change up and Tasha being a THOT, now Tariq not sure who he can trust so he look for attention in the streets. Tariq not sure what he’s getting his self into he learns the hard way. Raina has to loose her life due to everyone bad decision. If though this is suppose to be fictional but it’s not. It’s just men don’t discriminate on his children. So many men are caught up in the streets and their children pay for their actions. It’s not just in the black culture but white too, just our black men get caught up in the street life a little more. I was hurt she played off but her character showed she was ready to go.
Should have killed Angela and Dre before Raina. Not feeling how this show treats black females, especially Tasha. Black females protect the ones they love on the show. The men and Angela continue to disrespect them at every turn. Show has a stench. Show created by a black woman too.
I am very fond of the Raina character so it was a bad decision (for me). Tasha could have died and I would have cared less.